While Canadians watch the performance of The Bay to find out whether a traditional department store—and the country’s oldest retailer—can survive COVID, or even the changing tastes of consumers, a similar drama is playing out with another chain.

Kohl’s has 1,100 stores in the U.S. and though they’re smaller than a traditional department store and boast that they’re more convenient, they carry a similar mix of products.

Michelle Gass, the CEO of Kohl’s, was interviewed recently by the New York Times. While her company faces countless changes as it looks to re-invent its bricks-and-mortar reality, one of the key learnings she spoke about in her career path to this role was from her previous employer, Starbucks. And that was the importance of culture. Starbucks, she said, was able to build a strong culture over time, and the power of that culture made a lasting impression on her.

Culture maps out the social order of an organization. If defines and shapes the attitudes and values of its employees. Culture represents a body of shared values, which must extend from the executive offices right down to the front-line workers. Finding individuals whose personal values align with your corporate culture is essential to building a good team.

A strong culture is typically driven from the top down, but it must be responsive to the needs and the skill sets of staff on the front lines. A good culture has its roots in the founding principles of a company, while being able to embrace the need for change in a disrupted world.

It is also a guideline for good leadership. A study in the Harvard Business Review, entitled “The Leader’s Guide to Corporate Culture,” summed it up: “Leading with culture may be among the few sources of sustainable competitive advantage left to companies today. Successful leaders will stop regarding culture with frustration and instead use it as a fundamental management tool.”

Sarah McVanel is the founder of Greatness Magnified, an organization that specializes in providing training programs and certifications for employees-at-large. She is a recognition expert, professional speaker, coach, author, and creator of F.R.O.G.—Forever Recognize Others’ Greatness. With 25-plus years of experience, she invigorates companies to see their people as exceptional so that, together, they can create a thriving culture where everyone belongs.

If your organization can offer employees the option of working remotely, even part of the time, and you don’t work to find innovative ways to make this happen, you can expect turnover. Remote work is one of a number of substantiated trends from COVID that isn’t going away.

Many people in our current knowledge workforce not only can work remotely, but they may do their best work without the distractions, commute times, and stress of a typical five-day workweek.

Here’s one more reason to take remote working options seriously. You’re not just competing with other more remote-friendly employers. You’re also competing with the growing gig economy, where people can work for themselves. The rise of entrepreneurship means you may be competing with the employee’s own side hustle to convince them to stay with you!

Great people have options. Give them a reason to choose you. Considering the cost of replacing workers, are you hearing questions from prospective employees about flexible work options? Are staff asking, “Can we continue to work from home?” Are managers remarking, “I get so much more done when I have a work-at-home day”?

They’re asking for a reason. These are clues that remote work needs to be considered as a key ingredient to attract and retain great staff. Now is your opportunity to capitalize on it before they take flight.

By HR and health & safety consultancy Peninsula Canada

Having a company policy on vaccinations will provide clarity for staff and set expectations for how the subject of vaccination is to be approached in the workplace. Employers can use this policy to inform workers, to ensure workers conduct themselves appropriately, to include staff in the employers’ process of fulfilling their workplace health and safety obligations, and to initiate conversations with workers who may require accommodation or have concerns.

When creating a vaccination policy, employers should assess whether making vaccinations mandatory is reasonable for their workplace. In Ontario, for example, most workplaces must have a vaccination policy outlining workers’ responsibilities (such as providing proof of vaccination or showing a medical exemption). However, workers are not required to get vaccinated unless their employer makes this a workplace requirement.

Employers in industries that can provide accommodations such as remote work and that can maintain health and safety even if some workers remain unvaccinated may want to implement alternative measures before making vaccination a necessary condition of employment.

Peninsula is an HR and Health & Safety consulting firm serving over 80,000 small businesses worldwide, including dealers in home improvement. Clients are supported with ongoing updates to their workplace documentation and policies as legislation changes. Additionally, clients benefit from 24/7 employer HR advice and are protected by legal insurance.

In a bid to stem the post-pandemic labour shortage, employers are offering a variety of incentives to potential workers. That can mean flexible hours, higher wages, or even signing bonuses.

This last perk is usually reserved for corporate executives or specialist workers in technology or trades. But CBC News reports that it’s becoming an increasingly common feature of want ads for positions ranging from hair stylists to call centre workers.

Marie-Hélène Budworth of York University’s School of Human Resource Management says it’s a sign that “these are desperate times” for many employers. On the other hand, some employers prefer to invest in higher overall wages rather than a one-time bonus, which Budworth says is a greater benefit to workers in the long run.

Julie Labrie, president of recruitment firm BlueSky Personnel Solutions, says salaries have gone up “drastically.” Increased paid time off, sometimes as much as four weeks of vacation is also becoming more common.

Others are thinking outside the box to lure employees. One Montreal grocer is offering bus passes and store rebates to employees. A Halifax baby boutique joined forces with neighbouring retailers to give new hires the option to combine part-time positions.

“We talked with other tenants in the mall who were also finding it really hard to attract workers,” Ivy Liu, owner of Fluffy Bottom Babies in Bedford, N.S., told The Globe and Mail. “We came up with a plan that if we find the right worker but they want full-time hours, they could work three days here and two days in another store.”

Since the pandemic’s outbreak, workers in essential services have been publicly celebrated, but material compensation has often lagged. Meanwhile, those who had worked in non-essential fields found they could earn more money staying home, thanks to programs like CERB. Now, burnout is widespread, and a looming “mass exodus” of workers has shifted the balance of power to jobseekers.

“The power swings back and forth based on market conditions and supply and demand from employer to employee,” executive recruiter Ken Stoddart told the CBC. “And right now it’s skewed towards the employee.”

Other retailers are setting their sights on younger recruits. Tristan Tremblay, 14, works at a store in Chicoutimi, Que., which includes a hardware store as well as a filling station and convenience store. “My father started working young and he wanted me to start working young too,” he explained to Le Journal de Montréal. The work, he added, is “a bit repetitive … but it’s going well.”

At the same time, some retailers are looking to the other end of the lifespan. Don Dyck is president of Kingdon TIMBER MART in Peterborough, Ont. The store used to count on Trent University students for seasonal work, but interest from that demographic has waned. Nowadays, he says, his seasonal employees are more likely to be workers later in their careers who don’t wish to work year-round.

Martina Pileggi is a director of human resources for the Hillman Group Canada, a fastener producer for the hardware, automotive, plumbing, and electrical markets. 

As head of human resources for a major hardware and fastener company, Martina Pileggi is a strong believer in corporate values and the importance of communicating and reaffirming those values across a company. During COVID, she and her team have been busy keeping in touch with Hillman’s 900 employees across the country.

Now, as lockdowns end and sanctions get lifted, people are returning to some form of normalcy, even as Canada braces for a fourth wave thanks to the rise of the Delta variant. While the way out of this pandemic is still not entirely clear, Pileggi says a company has to be ready—and maintain standards for the safety and well-being of staff. She offers four points to consider:

1. Commitment to health and safety. This cannot waver, she insists. While many variables remain, ensuring the well-being of your team is job one. The focus here is on the things you can control and what your organization and customers value as important.
2. Keeping jobs intact. Many companies were too hasty in letting people go. Now, the job market definitely favours those looking for work. At Hillman, HR took a longer view. “I am happy to say we were able to ride out any layoffs and keep people working,” says Pileggi.
3. Control your cash and expenses. Hillman saw COVID impact its retail customers in a range of ways. The hardware and home improvement sector has thrived, while many smaller independent retailers and service companies saw sales plummet. “This year has been complex for businesses and our customers. Most have bounced back, but with significant changes to how they do business, due to market fluctuations. Companies have to adapt—HR needs to be at the table to know how to support and be a value-add during these times.”
4. Commitment to communications. Even as things return to normal, Pileggi has no intention of taking the foot off the gas when it comes to staying in touch with staff. She continues to hold monthly safety meetings and developed a series of “stand-up” meetings with Hillman’s various distribution centre operations to ensure ongoing face time throughout the company.

“We came up with a structure,” she says, “that could connect with every single person. And I’m very proud of that.”

By HR and health & safety consultancy Peninsula Canada

The fourth wave is here, and cases are expected to continue rising. Employers must continue to follow public health guidelines and take every precaution to protect the health and safety of their workers.

Reports are showing that the majority of cases are among younger, unvaccinated individuals. Employers can encourage their workers to get the vaccine and support them in making this decision by providing education from reliable sources. Meanwhile, employers can continue to require masks to be worn in the workplace and enforce other measures, such as distancing.

Employers can do their part to limit the spread of the Delta variant by having staff work remotely and reminding staff to stay home even if they experience mild symptoms, such as a sore throat.

Workers should also be provided with support at this time as personal circumstances, such as children starting virtual learning, and mental health may affect their ability to work. Employers can provide accommodation, flexibility and direct staff to additional help via Employee Assistance Programs and government resources.

Peninsula is an HR and Health & Safety consulting firm serving over 80,000 small businesses worldwide, including dealers in home improvement. Clients are supported with ongoing updates to their workplace documentation and policies as legislation changes. Additionally, clients benefit from 24/7 employer HR advice and are protected by legal insurance.

Even with 21 stores and strong brand recognition, Patrick Morin, a chain of 21 Stores in Quebec, has had its share of difficulty trying to recruit people. And if getting them to work in the stores isn’t challenging enough, finding people to work in a warehouse that’s not centrally located—for the evening shift—was even tougher.

That’s why the retailer turned to humour—and digital media—to find workers for its distribution centre in Joliette, a smaller community about 45 minutes from the big markets of Montreal and Laval. “We tried to create a fun working environment and created some initiatives to make the distribution centre attractive to workers,” says Jean-Phillipe Lavoie, director of HR for Patrick Morin.

Working with the company’s marketing team and HR people working together, Patrick Morin came up with a recruitment video that offers a lighthearted look at work in the warehouse. The video features Philippe Bond, a popular Quebec comedian, game show host, and radio announcer. Some humorous moments include Bond being hoisted up in a forklift to access high racking, only to be left there as the forklift operator walks away. Bond shouts to him in desperation, but the operator only mutters, without even looking back, that he’s “on break.” In another scene, after being sent to round up some pallets, Bond returns with a handful of chocolate bars, also known as palettes in Quebec French.

Lavoie says the deal with Bond included sharing the spot with the celebrity’s 300,000 social media followers. “This is the kind of network that brings us a younger generation.”

It was also posted on platforms like LinkedIn. It ties in with other initiatives taken within the workspace itself. These included a pay scale that was competitive, “and we have created break spaces with a sofa, wifi, televisions, and space in the cafeteria where people can have a healthy snack—paid for by the company.”

Patrick Morin has used online videos in the past, but this was the first that was aimed directly at the funny bone. Lavoie says the ongoing need to hire means this production is not a one-shot deal. “It’s getting people talking about Patrick Morin. We will continue to push initiatives like this, because the [hiring] game is not over yet!” he concludes.

IKEA has partnered with a not-for-profit, ACCES Employment, to launch a national Refugee Skills for Employment program in Canada. Recognizing the barriers that refugees can face when getting started in a new country, the program offers virtual customer service training, paid work placements, one-on-one culture and language coaching, job search strategies, and mentorship from IKEA Canada leaders.

The program aims to hire 150 refugees within a three-year span and is part of a broader commitment from IKEA globally to reach 2,500 refugees with meaningful employment by 2022. ACCES Employment provides community counselling and employment services for job seekers with diverse backgrounds.

“At IKEA, we believe that refugees bring immense value to both business and society when given the right opportunities to access a better life,” says Tanja Fratangeli, head of people and culture at IKEA Canada. The ACCES initiative not only provides access to jobs and new skills for refugees, “but it also provides IKEA the opportunity to connect with exceptional talent and create a diverse and inclusive work environment where individual differences are celebrated and embraced,” she adds.

The program, which was launched earlier this year, has already resulted in successful placements for participants across IKEA Canada’s stores, distribution centres, and national service office.

This month we talk with Zaida Fazlic, director, people and culture at Taiga Building Products, the national building materials wholesaler. This continues our occasional series with her on the topic of leadership.

Good leaders build positive work environments that energize their team and bring out the best in them by providing them with the coaching, tools, training, and support they need to do their jobs well. Zaida Fazlic, who heads HR at Taiga Building Products, is a student of good leadership.

A lot of those leadership skills come from having a high level of emotional intelligence, or the self-awareness and self-regulation to manage one’s own hot buttons.

As a leader, it’s important to have passion, of course, but not overreacting in heated situations requires being able to tap into the mood of one’s team. She says good leaders are able to “read the room” when they are heading up a group, and they should be able to adjust their leadership style accordingly. They have integrity and care for others and help others succeed.

Lack of good leadership can lead to toxic and stressful work environments that drain team members of the good energy they need to be productive.

It all comes down to having empathy. Fazlic admits the notion of empathy carries a certain connotation that might project weakness. But it doesn’t have to. She refers to “tough empathy,” a technique that requires tapping into your workers’ feelings and frustrations, but not being an enabler of bad habits. Instead, using a tougher approach can actually empower your people.

“What can you do to help them to help themselves? Then hold them accountable.” She stresses the value of holding people accountable, but in respectful ways. “It’s important for their self-esteem.”

While some of those strengths can be innate (“some people just seem to have a talent, they have a knack”), leadership traits can also be developed and nurtured. But, she says, it takes commitment, and it takes honesty. “People have to be really honest with themselves, something that is difficult for many people to do.”

By Olivia Cicchini, employment law content specialist at the HR consulting firm, Peninsula Canada. Olivia is a licensed paralegal with the Law Society of Ontario, specializing in employment law and legal drafting.

Due to the pandemic, there have been some court cases where terminated workers argued that they should have received a lengthier notice period. In one court case, the employee claimed the negative impact of the pandemic on the economy made it harder for him to get a job, even though the termination happened before the pandemic. In another case, the termination occurred in March 2020, just after a state of emergency was declared in Ontario.

Both appeals to extend the notice period length were denied by courts. The first appeal was denied because the court held that terminations that happened prior to the pandemic “should not attract the same consideration” as those that happened during. In the second, the court declined to extend the notice period because the termination was made early in the pandemic and its impact on the job market and economy was not yet known.

Based on these cases, the pandemic has not impacted the length of reasonable notice periods in a significant way. However, it is possible that courts may make different decisions if the termination occurred well into the pandemic when its impacts on the economy and job market were well known. Employers are advised to incorporate a clear and detailed termination clause in their contracts to protect their businesses.

Peninsula is an HR and Health & Safety consulting firm serving over 80,000 small businesses worldwide, including dealers in home improvement. Clients are supported with ongoing updates to their workplace documentation and policies as legislation changes. Additionally, clients benefit from 24/7 employer HR advice and are protected by legal insurance.